When a man comes for your daughter
by Borys68
Summary: When Mornel met Ordulf she felt her soul become complete. Ordulf danced with the grace of a galloping Mearas, he kissed her ardently with the heat of a Dwarrow forge, his words of love made her feel that she was the Only Woman in all of Arda. One day she forgot herself and took a step too far ... Will her father try to stomp out their Young Love? To break her heart and spirit?
1. Chapter 1

**FOREWORD**

The story is set in the AU of the "Pure of heart and body" story. There the BiME (Boy dropped Into Middle Earth), the Fleming Lodewijk, marries Arwen and they settle in The Mark on lands gifted by Eomer King.

Some boring stuff which will make the reading of the text easier:

Arwen's and Lodewijk's children:

Maerchondir – son 22 y/o

Mornel – daughter 19 y/o

Caleniel and Orothel – daughters 17 y/o

Eryngol – son 14 y/o

1 – as acknowledgment of Arwen's heritage all children have Elven names. Even though Lodewijk is a stickler for blending in with the Eorlings, Arwen's stature is such that _not _giving them Sindarin names is unthinkable.

2 – the offering of drink and food, and the taking of it imposes obligations on both sides. The offer means that the Host accepts the visitor as Guest and thus becomes bound to protect his welfare like one of his own. The visitor in turn, by accepting the offer and thus becoming a Guest obliges him or herself to refrain from hostility towards the Host.

3 - I follow the wergild system for offences. The compensation for killing a Freeman – a _Karl_, is 200 silver Skilders (my fancy name for basic silver coin). A Noble (_Thegn_) costs 600 and a Lord (_Earl_) costs 1200 Skilders in damages. Arwen and Lodewijk are of the _earl_/Lord class. Eomer and Lothiriel are priced at 30,000 Skilders, in case anybody is interested.

4 – Hornburg – the correct name for Helms Deep

5 – In my Rohan a marriage involves the following transfers of valuables or property:

- Groom's family pays Bride's family the Brideprice (may be channelled into Dowry)  
>- Bride receives Morning Gift the day after the Wedding, proof that the Groom can support her<br>- Bride receives Dowry which is used to the benefit of the newly weds, to set them up in life. If there is land in the dowry these are so-called "dower lands" and become the Bride's upon Widowhood. Or walking away from the marriage. Her retirement policy or insurance against abuse.

The events of the story take place in the winter of 25 FA or so. The exiting stuff is on the next page.


	2. The exiting things chapter

The events of the story take place in the winter of 25 FA or so.

Lodewijk eyed the young man standing in front of his desk with mixed feelings. Ordulf son of Dudwine was handsome, as far as he, as a man, could judge. Blond, although in The Mark this was a given, green eyes, all of his teeth, an easy smile on his lips (better not think where those lips and tongue had been where Mornel was concerned), clean hands with trimmed nails. Not much shorter than his 190cm. A body well toned by horse riding and military service. He could see why his eldest was attracted to him. He beckoned the handsome young devil to sit. Lodewijk did not offer drink nor food, though. He felt that establishing a formal "host and guest" relationship between them, with the resulting obligations on both sides, could wait until he obtained some answers.

Ordulf sat and dazzled him with a smile.

"On a day like this would My Lord not care for a drink?"

The young man was playing the situation intelligently, Lodewijk had to admit. But he decided that things being as they were allowed him to be rude.

"No food no drink before we talk" – he grunted. The young man did not give a sign of disappointment and did not push the issue. Ordulf apparently thought it prudent to momentarily suspend goading his prospective father in law.

Lodewijk decided to continue being forthright and not beat around the bush. As the poster child for Rohirric manliness had stated his business beforehand, the Fleming went straight to the point.

"Brideprice".

It is a truth universally acknowledged that whenever men congregate to socialise with their peers the foremost topic of conversation is wenching. There actually was less substance behind this belief than the womenfolk were convinced there was, however. The "twelve-hundred men" or _earls_ and the richer of the "six-hundred men" or _thegns_ with which Lodewijk consorted socially did occasionally brush upon the subject, yet the main topics were different. When they met they talked crops, harvests, equine, bovine and ovine bloodlines, hunting, fighting Orcs and Dunlendings etc. The list was practically endless. Amongst these came family issues, free spending spouses, dark mutterings on the youth of today, who is marrying whom and what the brideprice and dowry had been.

Even with the pissing contests associated with the accounts as to the value of these arrangements – "three villages I gave to my sweet little chickadee"; "that's nothing, my daughter's dowry was three villages _and_ two hundred sheep!" - Lodewijk had a broad grasp of what could be expected either way from a family like his, as for every Lord telling him the brideprice had been X another whispered in his ear that it had been Y instead. The whisper often came with an account of all the naughty things a given family had committed since Eorl. Or even earlier than that.

Hence Lodewijk was very well aware that – had it not been for Arwen - his "barbarian from North" lineage, from "somewhere in Eriador", placed him and his family at the bottom of the ranking of the Realm's earls in terms of prestige. The Evenstar, however, pushed the family's lineage sky high. And in Gondor – into the stratosphere. Lodewijk gave a passing thought to Arda actually _having_ a stratosphere - and an ozone layer with or without holes in it. While visiting the South Kingdom he or Arwen had been approached more than once by aristocrats interested in a trophy wife for their sons, practically eschewing a dowry in return for the glamour of having a five times removed descendant of Luthien in their family tree. The first offer for Mornel's hand had come when she was teething ...

Although not that impressed by Elven lineage his fellow earls of the Mark appreciated the wealth of his holdings. He might have dosed at school during history class, but even he managed to learn that Bruges had grown rich on transforming English wool into Flemish cloth. While inspecting his newly acquired lands he noticed the sheep – the presence of which had been hinted by having mutton on his table – and he inquired where the fleece went. He learned that it was all used on the spot for homespun so he had pushed it out of his mind – too small a thing to bother with. But a few years later, on the Umbar Expedition, the Fleming saw an opportunity for himself.

Inspired by the fine fabrics he had seen in the loot and claimed as a gift for Arwen and his girls, he used the destruction of Umbar and the deportation of its population to Gondor to advance the wealth of his holdings. Forfeiting any other loot (beside the aforementioned cloth) he had Elessar assign him a dozen or so families of Umbar cloth makers as his share of the booty. As he wanted a contented and productive workforce he obtained them in complete extended family units, if necessary buying the missing family members from other Lords. He gave them the Christian charity and mercy of keeping families together and prayed to Eru for forgiveness for this act. Lodewijk also cheered himself up by thinking that his "share" of the loot was given better treatment than most of the enslaved Umbarites had been. The cloth makers were settled on his lands and given tools of their trade. Lodewijk then expanded his herds, seeking out strains bred for their wool. He broke even after ten years ...

_As the poster child for Rohirric manliness had stated his business beforehand, the Fleming went straight to the point._

_"__Brideprice". _

Ordulf again flashed a smile at him and tried to look sheepish.

"My Lord", he began – "Mornel's beauty and my love for her had tested me greatly. And one day I was found wanting."

With a sigh the young man got up and knelt before him.

"It is with great shame that I confess for my passion for your daughter to have overwhelmed me. In light of this maybe the Brideprice and Morning Gift should be but tokens of love and affection ...?" the handsome Rohir raised his green eyes at him, with a shade of smile in the corner of his lips.

Lodewijk snarled "sit!" and began to pace to the room, glaring at his prospective son-in-law.

The pieces of the puzzle behind the events of the last few weeks began to come together...

The family had gone to Edoras for the winter festive season. This made his daughters very excited as their previous participation in social events had been limited to the Westmarch and western Westfold, the most prestigious being those at the West Marshall's Hall in the Hornburg. And this year, with a strong contingent of the Dol Amroth princely family coming to visit Lothiriel Queen, Edoras was to the place to go and mix with other worthies. Arwen also looked forward to being able to speak Sindarin with the southerners, while the children could polish their knowledge of it. He himself could use a refresher course.

But soon after arrival there came news of Orc sightings along the Upper Adorn River and – together with some other western Lords, he went home to protect his holdings. This was his first mistake. The next was taking both of his boys with him, to train them further in their duties. He should have left at least one with the womenfolk. Lodewijk was well aware – from the scathing words of his elder sister – what a cockblock he himself had been by the simple expedient of following her about, clueless, while some boy was trying to "court" her, to use the Middle Earth term. The nosy fourteen year old Eryngol would have been more effective than a dozen chastity belts, Lodewijk thought grimly.

Lodewijk sighed – in this area his beloved, wonderful wife was useless. After a quarter of a century – which was nothing compared to her 2700 years – she had not yet wrapped her head around the concept of casual sex. For her sex equalled marriage which meant fidelity unto death. Nor – for that matter – did she seem to understand what menstruation was about, with Mannlings not being blessed with neither On Demand Ovulation nor thought activated Impregnation Capable Ejaculation. Hence it had fallen to him, some six years ago, to calm down a hysterical Mornel who had woken in a blood stained bed thinking that she was dying. Explaining such facts of life to his wife was one thing – while Luthien Reborn actually understanding them another – as the Evenstar sometimes took an Elven pace over digesting the facts of life among the Secondborn ...

While he paced Lodewijk now knew why his daughter had come back from Edoras shifty eyed and avoiding his gaze whenever possible. Worried over such behaviour he had confronted her and asked – "what is wrong?" – which left her close to hysterical, sobbing and acting as if she was afraid of him. Caleniel and Orothel could not clue him as to why their sister was behaving that way. Arwen simply considered Mornel's behaviour to be odd and without known cause.

Why did Mornel expect him to harm her? Where had he erred in her upbringing? Or was it the culture in which she had grown up? He repeated his command to the young man.

"Stay here" – and walked quickly towards the solar.

His appearance in the customarily female occupied place caused surprise. He walked up to his wife and two younger daughters and murmured:

"I need to talk with Mornel alone."

Seeing his seriousness Arwen ushered all the other women and girls out, casting him the "you _will_ tell me EVERYTHING later" look.

He could see her shaking and backing into a corner already. A few long strides brought him to her side. He sat on the bench beside her and pulled Mornel into his embrace. His daughter was stiff like a board in his arms.

"He is here" – he said quietly.

Mornel froze and then began to bawl, trying to get away from him.

"Are you afraid that I will do something to you? Or to him? I will never do anything to hurt you. Him is a different matter. Please tell me everything ..."

And she did. She told him how after meeting Ordulf at Edoras she felt her soul become complete. Of how he danced with the grace of a galloping Mearas, of how he kissed with the heat of a Dwarrow forge, of how he respected her autonomy, of how his words of love made her feel that she was the Only Woman in all of Arda. And that one day she forgot herself and took a step too far. She spoke of her shame in dishonouring their House. Of how happy and ... and _smug_ Ordulf had been after ... after that _thing_ that had happened. Of her fear of his, of her Father's wrath. About the necessity of having to wed Ordulf because of what had happened. Of Ordulf no longer saying all those nice things to her. And about ...

Lodewijk let Mornel pour her heart out, rocking her now limp body in his arms, running his hand over her head and hair, or rubbing circles over her back. He asked a few questions and listened to her answers. His mind was almost made up as what to do next. He patted her and left the solar with purpose in his step. Seeing his grim face Arwen flashed worry in her eyes and rushed into the room to comfort their daughter, Caleniel and Orothel at her heels.

_"It is with great shame that I confess for my passion for your daughter to have overwhelmed me. In light of this maybe the Brideprice and Morning Gift should be but tokens of love and affection ...?" the handsome Rohir raised his green eyes at him, with a shade of smile in the corner of his lips._

Back in his study Lodewijk sat down and eyed Ordulf coldly while rummaging through his drawer. The young man met his gaze.

"When will I be able to see my beloved?" - the green eyes looked at him with an expression of longing.

"You said – Brideprice and Morning Gift but tokens of love and affection ..." – Lodewijk found what he was looking for and flipped a gold coin at the Rohirr.

"... dowry same – a token. Here it is."

Ordulf sucked in air, his eyes grew round and he shook his head as if in protest. But he quickly collected himself. His eyes hardened again.

"Surely you jest, My Lord. I understand that the dowry need not be as substantial as had I been a _twelve-hundred man_ but with what had passed between me and Mornel my suit should be somehow rewarded. Should the circumstances become better known ..."

Lodewijk snarled.

"Come with me" and walked out.

.

.

A fortnight later

.

.

Lodewijk took in the details of the modest but tidy manor. In the courtyard he dismounted and bade his men stay with the horses. After extracting a small but heavy sack from his saddlebags – which he then hefted over his shoulder - he headed amidst the milling servants of both sexes towards the porch, limping a bit. He felt he needed to do this alone. He introduced himself to the servant who intercepted him and waited in the hall for the manor's owner, the sack at his feet. Lodewijk accepted the greeting of the holding's lord, Dudwine son of Rothulf, but with a hand gesture he declined the drink offered by his wife, Inga. This unexpected reaction immediately made the couple tense.

"Sadly I am _Lathspell" _– he got to the point. Pointing at the bag the he explained:

"Wergild. Your son dishonoured my daughter."

While the man's curiosity and joviality turned to shock then coldness, the woman's reactions passed through a gasp and hands brought up to her face to a wail.

With ice cold green eyes Ordulf's father hissed:

"Leave".

.

_Lodewijk snarled._

_"Come with me" and walked out._

After flipping the coin, once they had been outside in the courtyard, before the eyes of many, he had drawn his sword and ordered Ordulf to do likewise. The whelp had not stood a chance. Youth and speed and quite good fencing skills were nought against 30 years experience, training by Elves and the strength of an amateur smith. After getting the cut to his leg Lodewijk had chopped off the young Rider's sword hand and watched him bleed to death, giving Ordulf time to think _why_ he was dying. At that moment the Fleming had felt like Darth Vader – even if Ordulf was no Luke Skywalker but some blackmailing piece of shit.

.

Lodewijk would not allow his daughters to be prey of dowry extortionists. With the dowry he _could_ provide Mornel with, if he _were_ inclined to do so, he would find suitors - and _Thegns'_ sons at that - a plenty willing to marry her with three bastards in tow. And a fourth on the way. Not that he wanted such a future for her. A high profile marriage for her was now very unlikely but the Fleming was sure that someday she'll meet somebody who would offer _everything_ within his means as Brideprice for her because he _cared_ for her.

And if she accepted the suit then - as far as he was concerned - she _could_ marry the stablehand. At her age in Belgium she probably would be on the pill and going through her third "serious" boyfriend anyway. Not that some Rohirric stablehand was likely either. But then again – his memory ran to his sister, gushing and cooing over a colour magazine reporting on some princess or other eloping with her fitness trainer or some other nobody – this could not be ruled out. He sighed. He missed his sister.

.

.  
>XXXXXXXXX<p>

AN:

_Elleth_ – sing. female elf, plur. _ellith_

_Ellon _– sing. male elf, plur. _ellyn_

ODO – On Demand Ovulation. My assumption is that ellith are smarter than the graceful lama, the petite alpaca, the noble vicuna or the boisterous guanaco, so these species' Coitus Induced Ovulation was taken to a level worthy of a Superior Race. I cannot attribute the co-author of this idea as I lost the PMs :(

ICE – Impregnation Capable Ejaculation. That is Conscious Fatherhood writ large! According to Tolkien an ellon, unless he wishes the elleth to conceive is sterile and fires blanks. Family Planning FTW!

_Lathspell_ – "[Bearer of] Ill news" – the honorific given to Gandalf by Grima - too good not use it :)

Chastity belt - Lodewijk goes with Urban Legend version - _invented in XIth century to keep wives faithful_. Actually it was invented some half a thousand years later as an anti-rape device.


End file.
